Mýa - Moodring (2003)

[Zinc.]

Can't believe it'll be almost 12 years (July 22, 2003 to be exact) since Moodring was released and her last proper studio album in the U.S. Described by Mýa as an experimental, somewhat bi-polar album.Moodring is/was one of the finest R&B/pop album in the 2000's. Great mixture of sub genre(s). Solid vocal performances (i.e. You, Fallen, No Sleep Tonight, Anatomy 1 On 1, and many more). An overall cohesive body of work.

Chart Stats

Billboard's 200
3

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
2

Hot 100

My Love Is Like...Wo
13

Fallen
51

Accolades

MTV Video Music Awards

Best Dance Video
Best Choreography in a Video

MVPA

Best R&B Video of the Year
Best Choreography in a Video

Village Voice's Pazz & Jop
365

[SHOOTER]

Easily my favorite album of hers. The album title was the perfect description of the album's sound and Mya did such a kick-ass job blending R&B, Pop and Hip-Hop together. I firmly believe this album whould've catapulted her to the next level had Ron Fair Interscope not ruined it by blowing her promotion budget on adding strings all over the album courtesy of his his girlfriend at the time ending the promotion prematurely. I still maintain Why You Gotta Look So Good? would've been the second biggest hit of her career behind Case of the Ex.

[Zinc.]

Yeah I was rooting for Why You Gotta Look So Good as her second single. She had a poll on her website and everything and when they announced Fallen I was like...

[Deleted]

This is my 2nd favorite Mya album. There are a few songs that are just horrible (the last 5 tracks + Sophisticated Lady) but the rest is really strong.

[Linnethia Monique]

Why You Gotta Look So Good and Things Come & Go when Sean Paul was still on his 3-4 year hot streak would've been big hits for her. We also cannot forget the blessed Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis sex-jam Anatomy 1 on 1.

[Zinc.]

I just remember she was frustrated with how this era was going as a whole. She would visit her official website's messageboard and let out her frustrations and do a Q&A with us (fans). And recently I discovered that during this era her label started to look at her more as a singles artist.

[SHOOTER]

Jul 22, 2015 18:49:28 GMT -5 Linnethia Monique said:

Why You Gotta Look So Good and Things Come & Go when Sean Paul was still on his 3-4 year hot streak would've been big hits for her. We also cannot forget the blessed Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis sex-jam Anatomy 1 on 1.

This album could've easily went 5-6 singles deep and produced consecutive top-10 hits! :still pissed:

[Zinc.]

Moodring had so many potential radio friendly singles to choose from. It's a shame her label pulled the plug so soon.

[divasummer]

Jul 22, 2015 12:44:58 GMT -5 SHOOTER said:

Easily my favorite album of hers. The album title was the perfect description of the album's sound and Mya did such a kick-ass job blending R&B, Pop and Hip-Hop together. I firmly believe this album whould've catapulted her to the next level had Ron Fair Interscope not ruined it by blowing her promotion budget on adding strings all over the album courtesy of his his girlfriend at the time ending the promotion prematurely. I still maintain Why You Gotta Look So Good? would've been the second biggest hit of her career behind Case of the Ex.

Do you mean they added strings to a lot of the songs when they originally weren't on there????
That took up that much of her budget??
I assumed with the just kind of there single "Fallen" underperforming they kind of just gave up on it.
I always thought "Fallen" was a poor single choice, though I did like one of the hip hop mixes they played for a second back then.
It wasn't one of the ones that came out on the maxi single because I bought it. lol.
Why they didn't go with the "Hot At The Time" Sean Paul collabo "Things Come And Go" or "Why You Gotta Look So Good" is beyond me????
I kind of assumed they would have released "Sophisticated Lady" because she did a great performance of it during a promo tv spot back then.
All of her performances were great during this era especially the one I saw of "My Love Is Like Wo" mixed with Whatever Bi--h" during that same night.
I also really liked "You" though I doubt it was considered for release but it's still one of my favorites from this cd.

[Linnethia Monique]

This is my 2nd favorite album behind Liberation. The Timbaland/Missy track was a weak offering from them but it's still a jam. I still stand by my original statement that "Things Come and Go" should've been a single. It was just screaming to be released and Sean Paul was HOT! at the moment. "Anatomy 1 On 1" my sex jam. I remember Urban radio spinning "Why You Gotta Look So Good" but all that stopped all at once. This album had so much potential.

[Live Your Life]

Her albums are incredibly uneven. I would say this is her best work though.

AllMusic gave the album 4/5 stars:

With all the emotional and stylistic range that an album called Moodring should present, Mya comes up with her best and most varied set of songs yet. The album's biggest highlights are almost completely different from one another, demonstrated right from the beginning; the opener, the strutting, boastful, Missy Elliott-produced "My Love Is Like...Wo" is immediately followed by the yearning, elegant "Falling." The constant changes of direction can be a little jarring on the first couple plays, but they eventually become one of the album's charms. Even the two expectedly strong Jam & Lewis productions, the blissed-out "Anatomy 1On1" ("Let's make a child") and the stressed-out "Late" ("Should've been more careful when I let him rock my boat") are at two ends. Most surprising of all is "Whatever Bitch," a stage-ready booty track in which Mya shows off her foul-mouthed catty side. Two big (mis)steps back threaten to kill her momentum, however, and they both come at the very end of this very long album: the bloodless cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" is worse than you could possibly imagine, and the awkward inclusion of "Real Compared to What," the soft drink ad that originated as a civil rights/Vietnam protest song, was a very bad idea.

[SHOOTER]

Moodring
Fear of Flying
Liberation
KISS
Mya

This is hands down her masterpiece in my book.

[FoolMoonz]

Don't really like this one. Fallen and Things Come & Go are gems tho.

[Ginger Spice]

My second favorite album of hers. It had too many songs ("Free Fallin'" and "Real Compared to What" are DREADFUL), but the highlights are really good. "Fallen" is my favorite.

[Zinc.]

This is my 2nd favorite album by her alongside Liberation and now Smoove Jones. She wanted Why You Gotta Look So Good? to be the first single initially. Rumor has it Things Come & Go and You were chosen as the third singles. Her label was going market You in U.S. and Things Come & Go in the United Kingdom. Fallen was a safe choice second single. It was radio friendly and it was around the Fall/Winter season. Moodring had way too many potential and radio friendly songs/singles, it's ashame her label let it go to waste like they did.

[offsir]

Jul 22, 2015 18:49:50 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

I just remember she was frustrated with how this era was going as a whole. She would visit her official website's messageboard and let out her frustrations and do a Q&A with us (fans). And recently I discovered that during this era her label started to look at her more as a singles artist.

Do u remember what u ask her and what frustrations she spoke on? Love Mya fine self.

[Zinc.]

Apr 9, 2016 21:23:39 GMT -5 offsir said:

Jul 22, 2015 18:49:50 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

I just remember she was frustrated with how this era was going as a whole. She would visit her official website's messageboard and let out her frustrations and do a Q&A with us (fans). And recently I discovered that during this era her label started to look at her more as a singles artist.

Do u remember what u ask her and what frustrations she spoke on? Love Mya fine self.

Just the industry as a whole. I didn't ask her anything. She was more so venting to get fans. A couple of ask things. I didn't tho.

I know she said she worked on Step by her self. Missy was out somewhere partying. And Tim was nowhere in sight.

She said her, Lil' Kim, Pink, and Christina would probably never work together ever again.

She said at the 2003 MTV Music Award she had to give up her dressing room to Beyonce and change in the hallway or something.

Just alot she shared with us.

[offsir]

Apr 9, 2016 21:38:24 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

Apr 9, 2016 21:23:39 GMT -5 offsir said:

Do u remember what u ask her and what frustrations she spoke on? Love Mya fine self.

Just the industry as a whole. I didn't ask her anything. She was more so venting to get fans. A couple of ask things. I didn't tho.

I know she said she worked on Step by her self. Missy was out somewhere partying. And Tim was nowhere in sight.

She said her, Lil' Kim, Pink, and Christina would probably never work together ever again.

She said at the 2003 MTV Music Award she had to give up her dressing room to Beyonce and change in the hallway or something.

Just alot she shared with us.

Oh damn I wonder why she said the ladies would never work together again.And as far the dressing room thing go's messed yes but artist with more clout can do that but yeah changing in the hallway? whoa if only I could find those old convos.

[Zinc.]

Apr 9, 2016 21:54:50 GMT -5 offsir said:

Apr 9, 2016 21:38:24 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

Just the industry as a whole. I didn't ask her anything. She was more so venting to get fans. A couple of ask things. I didn't tho.

I know she said she worked on Step by her self. Missy was out somewhere partying. And Tim was nowhere in sight.

She said her, Lil' Kim, Pink, and Christina would probably never work together ever again.

She said at the 2003 MTV Music Award she had to give up her dressing room to Beyonce and change in the hallway or something.

Just alot she shared with us.

Oh damn I wonder why she said the ladies would never work together again.And as far the dressing room thing go's messed yes but artist with more clout can do that but yeah changing in the hallway? whoa if only I could find those old convos.

Probably because behind the scenes there was nothing but friction and tension between Christina & P!nk

Nah Mya had just as much clout too before Beyonce became what she is today. She didn't deserve that kinda treatment.

[offsir]

Apr 9, 2016 22:00:25 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

Apr 9, 2016 21:54:50 GMT -5 offsir said:

Oh damn I wonder why she said the ladies would never work together again.And as far the dressing room thing go's messed yes but artist with more clout can do that but yeah changing in the hallway? whoa if only I could find those old convos.

Probably because behind the scenes there was nothing but friction and tension between Christina & P!nk

Nah Mya had just as much clout too before Beyonce became what she is today. She didn't deserve that kinda treatment.

Naw I'm not saying she didn't have clout  but that kind of stuff happens.And yeah she didn't deserve that but where the hell was her team they should have shut that down period.

[Zinc.]

Apr 9, 2016 23:08:56 GMT -5 offsir said:

Apr 9, 2016 22:00:25 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

Probably because behind the scenes there was nothing but friction and tension between Christina & P!nk

Nah Mya had just as much clout too before Beyonce became what she is today. She didn't deserve that kinda treatment.

Naw I'm not saying she didn't have clout  but that kind of stuff happens.And yeah she didn't deserve that but where the hell was her team they should have shut that down period.

Yeah it does and maybe it was a last minute thing.

[divasummer]

Apr 9, 2016 8:45:02 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

This is my 2nd favorite album by her alongside Liberation and now Smoove Jones. She wanted Why You Gotta Look So Good? to be the first single initially. Rumor has it Things Come & Go and You were chosen as the third singles. Her label was going market You in U.S. and Things Come & Go in the United Kingdom. Fallen was a safe choice second single. It was radio friendly and it was around the Fall/Winter season. Moodring had way too many potential and radio friendly songs/singles, it's ashame her label let it go to waste like they did.

I loved "Things Come And Go" and "You".
I"m not sure how it would have done as a single though.
I truly believe "Things come And Go" would have gone top 10 though had it been released/promoted.
Didn't end up going on a soundtrack???
"Fallen: I suppose was safe but I would say boring.
However there was a remix of it I heard a couple of times back then on the radio that I loved.
It isn't on the maxi remix single though.
I really liked "Moodring" and was annoyed at the time it didn't do better.
Her live performances from this era were really good too.

[Zinc.]

Mar 12, 2017 19:43:23 GMT -5 divasummer said:

Apr 9, 2016 8:45:02 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

This is my 2nd favorite album by her alongside Liberation and now Smoove Jones. She wanted Why You Gotta Look So Good? to be the first single initially. Rumor has it Things Come & Go and You were chosen as the third singles. Her label was going market You in U.S. and Things Come & Go in the United Kingdom. Fallen was a safe choice second single. It was radio friendly and it was around the Fall/Winter season. Moodring had way too many potential and radio friendly songs/singles, it's ashame her label let it go to waste like they did.

I loved "Things Come And Go" and "You".
I"m not sure how it would have done as a single though.
I truly believe "Things come And Go" would have gone top 10 though had it been released/promoted.
Didn't end up going on a soundtrack???
"Fallen: I suppose was safe but I would say boring.
However there was a remix of it I heard a couple of times back then on the radio that I loved.
It isn't on the maxi remix single though.
I really liked "Moodring" and was annoyed at the time it didn't do better.
Her live performances from this era were really good too.

Yeah Things Come & Go is featured on a Barbershop soundtrack as well as Fallen (Zone 4 Remix) featuring Clingy. I don't think Fallen was boring it just fell flat as a follow up single to My Love Is Like...Wo. And yes, I wish Moodring would've performed better than it did but what's done is done.

[divasummer]

Mar 13, 2017 3:08:51 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

Mar 12, 2017 19:43:23 GMT -5 divasummer said:

I loved "Things Come And Go" and "You".
I"m not sure how it would have done as a single though.
I truly believe "Things come And Go" would have gone top 10 though had it been released/promoted.
Didn't end up going on a soundtrack???
"Fallen: I suppose was safe but I would say boring.
However there was a remix of it I heard a couple of times back then on the radio that I loved.
It isn't on the maxi remix single though.
I really liked "Moodring" and was annoyed at the time it didn't do better.
Her live performances from this era were really good too.

Yeah Things Come & Go is featured on a Barbershop soundtrack as well as Fallen (Zone 4 Remix) featuring Clingy. I don't think Fallen was boring it just fell flat as a follow up single to My Love Is Like...Wo. And yes, I wish Moodring would've performed better than it did but what's done is done.

I guess boring was a little harsh. lol.
"Fell a little flat" is a better way to describe "Fallen" at the time when they had "Things Come And Go" and "Why You Gotta Look.." right there.
I don't know if I was always the best at picking singles then (or now) lol but I also LOVED "You" and wanted to see that released.
I guess I was just bitter "Fallen" murdered the era and I was already lost as to why it was released instead of the other 3 mentioned.
I do like it but still bitter about it. (kidding)

[Ginger Spice]

"Whatever Bitch" will always be my jam.

[Zinc.]

Mar 13, 2017 13:02:48 GMT -5 divasummer said:

Mar 13, 2017 3:08:51 GMT -5 Zinc. said:

Yeah Things Come & Go is featured on a Barbershop soundtrack as well as Fallen (Zone 4 Remix) featuring Clingy. I don't think Fallen was boring it just fell flat as a follow up single to My Love Is Like...Wo. And yes, I wish Moodring would've performed better than it did but what's done is done.

I guess boring was a little harsh. lol.
"Fell a little flat" is a better way to describe "Fallen" at the time when they had "Things Come And Go" and "Why You Gotta Look.." right there.
I don't know if I was always the best at picking singles then (or now) lol but I also LOVED "You" and wanted to see that released.
I guess I was just bitter "Fallen" murdered the era and I was already lost as to why it was released instead of the other 3 mentioned.
I do like it but still bitter about it. (kidding)

Yeah it's a shame. Moodring was full of potential radio friendly singles.

[divasummer]

Mar 13, 2017 13:39:53 GMT -5 Ginger Spice said:

"Whatever Bitch" will always be my jam.

I like it too.
A lot of times when artists do these type of songs for the gays it usually comes off cheesy.
Parts of this is Fierce though!!
"You Better Work"!

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

My second favorite after "Fear of Flying". I love LOVE Fallen. Why You Gotta Look So Good? and Things Come and Go are also my favorites. Whatever Bitch sounds very similar to Whatever Chick from Fear of Flying. It just saddens me that Mya doesn't get much recognition that she truly deserves as an artist. She's one of those artists that tend to be overlooked in favor of more popular artists.

[Zinc.]

Happy Sweet 16!

[Zinc.]